by Jeff McNeal, editor - The BIG Picture
July 20, 1998
Most of us are old enough to vividly remember the 15 minutes of fame that octagenarian Clara Peller generated with her puzzled, cranky battle-cry: "WHERE'S THE BEEF!?" That slogan was the running gag through a funny series of television commercials for a fast food burger joint back in the 80's. The point of the commercial, of course, was that the other burger joints were offering more talk (as in bun) than action (as in burger). I think we can all agree that it makes little sense to make a lot of noise about your product if you aren't going to deliver on your promises.
Sort of like we're seeing now from the video retail establishment. The Video Software Dealers Association (VSDA) says it is now supporting open DVD... Great! The CEO of Blockbuster says that the mega-chain of video stores will be renting open DVD... Fantastic!
So... where's the beef?
I'll tell you what my beef is. The fact that video retailers by and large have been so slow to promote DVD rental and sell-through.
Up until very recently, DVD was dismissed as something "too new" or "too fragile" to be considered a viable rental medium worth stocking and promoting.
Many retailers viewed DVD with little regard; after all – who had even heard of DVD a year ago, besides the handful of us early adopters that leaped into the waters, shouting to all who would listen, "come on in, the water's fine!!" Other retailers viewed DVD with disdain, fearing that it would harm their businesses, which are based largely on VHS rentals. Still others were taking a "wait and see" approach, citing limited title selection and the fact that a few key studios were still holding out. There could have been political motivations to sit on the sidelines while the DVD situation gelled, as well.
And there's always the human factor. Most people are uncomfortable with, and resistant to, change – and your local video retailer is no exception. If this weren't true, then there'd be no such thing as early adopters, would there? Everyone would jump in at once. To be fair, your local retailer also has a sizable investment in magnetized mylar that they aren't anxious to jettison for something they initially perceived as a risky bet, either.
As soon as I took delivery on my DVD player a year ago April, I proudly walked into my local Blockbuster Video store in San Diego, and asked "Can you please show me your DVD selection?". The young girl behind the counter stared at me blankly for a few seconds, then said "Oh! You mean the stuff for the hearing impaired?"
I knew that I was in trouble.
I patiently explained to her what her manager should have already told her and the rest of the staff . Then, I asked to see the manager. He didn't know anything more about DVD than the young girl did. I suggested he do his homework and left the store feeling very frustrated and disappointed. It was inconceivable to me that a "leading" video retailer could be so ignorant about the cutting-edge of home video technology. After all, DVD at this point was no longer a dream — my local Good Guys! store was selling the players and the first 30 titles. I couldn't believe that Blockbuster hadn't done a better job of prepping their employees.
To my way of thinking, a video retailer has the same responsibility to keep up with their field just as a tax accountant has to keep up with yearly changes to the tax code. I should have never been put in the position of having to explain to a video store manager what DVD was all about. At the time, I was surprised with the revelation that I knew more about the latest home video sensation than several of my local video retailers. I mean, up until this experience, I thought that the consumers were the last to know about everything, right?
Wrong.
Video retailers put their pants on one leg at a time like the rest of us – and for what it's worth, I'm glad the manager at my local Blockbuster isn't doing my taxes.
During subsequent visits to my local Blockbuster store (which also sells and rents Laserdiscs, I hasten to add), I received the same disappointing responses. Uninformed, total disregard for the DVD format. My frustration began to give way to resentment as I desperately searched for local stores that carried new titles for purchase or rental. Even the local mom and pop video store that I had begun frequenting was of no help and had no interest in renting the shiny little discs. I had to continue searching elsewhere. They have since closed their doors.
From my perspective, a video retailer's job is to provide me with my preferred video media of choice that I can rent or purchase – preferably both. For several months, I was forced to purchase DVD titles at Fedco, of all places – not exactly renown for cutting edge merchandise (though I am grateful the membership store stocked them). There was also Best Buy -- which was a 1.5 hour round-trip drive. The San Diego Tower Records started carrying titles last summer – and even though it was still a good 50 minute round-trip from my north San Diego home, I would enthusiastically show up every Tuesday morning to buy new titles.
Here I was, a guy that never owned a laserdisc player. Someone that bought maybe 20 VHS movie titles in as many years – as pathetic and desperate to ferret out new DVD titles as a junkie looking for his next balloon of crank. I felt rather ridiculous going out of my way like this – but I was so drawn to DVD that a compulsive side to my personality simply took over and I had to find new titles — no matter how far I had to drive or how inconvenient it was. I discovered, much to my delight, that I had become a hopeless DVD addict. For the first time in my life, I found true meaning in the lyrics of John Lennon's "Cold Turkey".
This very website is compelling proof that my addiction hasn't subsided with time. In three months, The BIG Picture has become one of the most comprehensive DVD sites in the world, attracting over a million hits already. Nearly 600,000 last month alone. The really interesting things is — there are thousands of us who are addicted to DVD. Check our DVD opinion poll page to see the average number of DVD titles owned. The numbers are staggering. I urge all video retailers to look at the numbers, too. The DVD buyer is could be the best friend video retailers have ever known. Conversely, Divx owners could be their worst nightmare. More on that in a minute.
Late last year, after thousands of miles of driving all over hell and half of Georgia to find new titles, the answers to my prayers were answered. I discovered a little hole-in-the-wall video retailer in a low-rent part of an adjacent town renting and selling DVD's at Costco-like prices. The only hitch was that the store owner had to order the titles for purchase and it took from a few days to a week to get my sweaty hands on 'em. But so what! Just fifteen minutes away and I had struck the motherload. Any DVD title I wanted to rent or buy, as inexpensively as possible. I can't begin to express my gratitude that a video retailer was willing to step up to the plate and embrace DVD while so many others turned a cold shoulder of indifference to the fledgling format.This retailer has earned my loyalty – not to mention a good deal of my cash..
I still wander into Blockbuster now and again, just to ask: "When are you getting with the program and renting or selling DVD?" — only to turn around and walk right back out again when the store clerk shrugs and either says: "I dunno?" or "Oh, we're not ever going to be carrying those here." To date, I'd estimate that Blockbuster has lost about two thousand dollars of revenue from my business, including the VHS tapes I stopped renting once DVD spoiled me. And I'm okay with that. I'm not into rewarding indifference with my dollars. The real kicker, in my view, is my Blockbusters' reluctance to even sell DVD. What's THAT all about? If you don't want to rent it because it "isn't viable", then why not sell it, at least, to those that own DVD players and want to buy them. My guess is that my Blockbuster store would sell a lot more DVD's than Aba-zaba bars, yet the candy remains and the DVD's are nowhere to be seen. Go figure.
Now listen, I realize that the big cheese at Blockbuster corporate has recently pledged support for open DVD rental, after slow and ponderous test marketing in just 100 stores. I know that DVD rentals should be a reality in 1,000 of their 4,000 stores in the near future – but how soon? And unless they're renting or selling in my local store, what good is their pledge to me?
Where's the beef?!
Quite frankly, I take a real pleasure in supporting my little hole-in-the-wall video retailer for this simple reason: He's provided me the product that I wanted to buy, when I wanted to buy it. The stubborn and ignorant mindset that I found in my local Blockbuster only served to turn me off to doing any business there, and after a year and a half of being regarded as some kind of a crackpot because I bought a DVD player, I doubt that I'll ever set foot in that store again – even though it's just a three minute drive from my house.
Where's the beef?
My point is this: video retailers need to embrace DVD not only in words and press releases, but by stocking DVD – en masse. Token committments are useless. The time for real action is now. Hindsite is always 20/20. It would have been much better to see widespread DVD acceptance from retailers last September, when Richard Sharp made his big, self-congratulatory announcement of Divx. But paralyzed with ignorance of the format, indecision and fear of the future, the vast majority of video retailers scoffed at the idea of supporting open DVD. In retrospect, widespread acceptance of DVD by retailers early on might have also encouraged DVD holdout studios to take the plunge sooner. Increased demand has a way of igniting production.
Because of the inordinate delays in embracing DVD, retailers have lost precious time in my view and must react quickly and decisively if they are to survive in the next millennium..
With Divx is preparing a national launch in September, skewed Divx test-marketing results notwithstanding (remember, the stores have been short-stocking open DVD players according to Circuit City's own employees, in an effort to boost Divx sales), the VSDA has finally acknowledged that Divx is the real bogeyman which threatens their members livlihoods – not open DVD. Welcome to DVD, VSDA members.
The greatest irony is that after a year and a half of dragging their heels on the issue, the VSDA has awkened to the simple truth that open DVD may be the first, best and only hope that video retailers have to combat their own obsolescence, since by definition of its very design, Divx is positioned to effectively put video retailers out of business if the concept catches on. Wake up retailers. There's a lot at stake here and it isn't too late to do something about it – at least not yet.The other side of the irony coin, is that if it wasn't for Richard Sharp's persistence in launching Divx nationally, the VSDA and Blockbuster might never have thrown their support (albeit token at the moment) behind open DVD.
In any event, open DVD enthusiasts and the video retail establishment are lining up against our common enemy: Divx. But we need to organize the troops in a hurry.
The BIG Picture urges ALL video retailers to carry DVD titles for purchase. If you currently rent VHS or Laserdisc, then you should be renting DVD, also. Start with the 20 latest DVD titles and take the plunge. If you can afford to keep the eletricity on, you can afford a small-scale DVD launch.
You have loyal DVD customers waiting to support you. But act quickly. The window of opportunity may be slammed shut if Divx beats you to the punch.
Retailers — it's time for you to hit the ground running... and show us the beef.
That's my opinion -- what's yours? Post your comments to The BIG Picture Forum.
Jeff McNeal, Editor
The BIG Picture
PREVIOUS EDITORIALS
DVD Quality Control: Who's watching the gate?
Chipping Away at DIVX: One blow at a time.
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